Railroad-rail.



P. SHERMAN.

RAILROAD RAIL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 19, 1914. 1, 1 30,549.

Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

HE NDRRIS PETERS CO.-, PHOTO-LITHQ, WASH N TON. D 4;v

were.

PHILIP SHERMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

RAILROAD-RAIL.

Application filed November 19, 1914. Serial No. 872,976.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PHILIP SHERMAN, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Rails, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in railroad rails, and has for itsobject the production of a rail which will be strong and durable and atthe same time of comparatively light construction.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of partshereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawing forming a part of this specification, and in which,

Figure l is a perspective view of a fragment of a rail embodying myinvention, and Fig. 2 is a section taken on line m-m of Fig. 1.

The preferred form of construction as illustrated in the drawingcomprises a rail consisting of a head 1, depending web 2 and baseportions 8. Said base portions 3 are spaced along the lower edge of theweb 2 at such distances as to adapt the same for engagement with therail supporting ties to which said base portions are secured in theusual manner by spikes 5. The portions of the web 2 intermediate thebase portions 3 are reduced in width, the construction being such thatsaid portions will gradually decrease in width toward the centersthereof, the lower edges 6 of said intermediate portions being arched inform, as clearly shown. With this construction, it will be seen, thatthe weight of the rail will be materially reduced, the reduction inweight necessarily resulting in a cheaper cost of production throughsaving in material.

In order to lend the required strength and rigidity to the rail towithstand the rough wear to which the same is subjected, when in use,laterally projecting reinforcing flanges 7, 8 and 9 are provided, thereinforcing flanges 7 and 8 strengthening the web at the juncturesthereof with the base portions 3, and the flanges 9 reinforcing thecenters of the intermediate reduced portions of the flange. This resultis also aided by the arched formation of the lower edges of theintermediate web portions, this latter construction resulting in a sortof truss reinforcement. It has been found by experiment that thelocation of the reinforcing flanges 7, 8 and 9, as shown, has resultedin the production of a rail possessing strength and rigidity practicallythe same as that possessed by a rail of uniform width through out, thatis, one whose base portion or lower edge is not cut away, as is the casewith the present construction.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying my invention into eifect, this is capable ofvariation and modification without departing from the spirit of theinvention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails of constructionset forth, but desire to avail myself of suchvariations and modifications as come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is: i

1. A railroad rail comprising a head; a web depending from said head;and base portions spaced along the lower edge of said web, the portionsof said web intermediate said base portions being reduced in width,substantially as described.

2. A railroad rail comprising a head; a web depending from said head;and base portions spaced along the lower edge of said web, the portionsof said web intermediate said base portions being cut away at the loweredges thereof to reduce the width of said portions, substantially asdescribed.

3. A railroad rail comprising a head; a web depending from said head;and base portions spaced along the lower edge of said web, the portionsof said web intermediate said base portions being gradually reduced inwidth toward the centers of said portions, substantially as described.

4:. A railroad rail comprising a head; a web depending from said head;and base portions spaced along the lower edge of said web, the portionsof said web intermediate said base portions being cut away at the loweredges thereof, said lower edges of said intermediate web portions beingof arched formation, subsantially as described.

5. A railroad rail comprising a head; a web depending from said head;base portions spaced along the lower edge of said Web, the portions ofsaid web intermediate said base portions being reduced in width; andreinforcing flanges formed integral with and laterally projecting fromsaid web and base portions, substantially as described.

6. A railroad rail comprising a head; a Web depending from said head;base portions spaced along the lower edge of said web, the portions ofsaid web intermediate said base portions being reduced in width; andreinforcing flanges formed integral with and laterally projecting fromsaid Web and base portions, said reinforcing flanges being located atthe junctures of said web with said base portions and at the lower saidbase portions being reduced in width,

substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

PHILIP SHERMAN.

Witnesses JOSHUA R. H. POTTS, JANET E. FARRELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Eatents,

Washington, Ii. c.

